Haunted in West City
by Coofis
Summary: OLD. Rumors are circulating that Capsule Corp. is haunted by a madman's ghost, and Videl wants to find out the truth. She even ropes Erasa and Sharpener into the mix! What could go wrong? Lots and lots of things could. Gohan/Videl and some Vegeta/Bulma. ON HIATUS.
1. Rumors

**Haunted in West City - Chapter One: Rumors **

**Summary:** Rumors are circulating that Capsule Corp. is haunted by a madman's ghost, and Videl wants to find out the truth. She even ropes Erasa and Sharpener into the mix! What could go wrong? Lots and lots of things could.

**Author's Notes...** This is going to be a multichapter fic full of fun, mischief, misunderstandings, and yes, some nice Bulma/Vegeta and Gohan/Videl romance too! You'll get it all in this fic: Veggie torture, Gohan torture, battles, love, laughter, gossip, and ghost stories. And plenty of huge, classic DBZ explosions.

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Gohan averted his eyes, finding a sudden fascination with the suspicious stains marking the otherwise drab tile floors of Orange Star High School. The nervous teenager squeezed himself as close against the wall as he possibly could, leaving a wide gap between himself and the rest of his mentally deranged peers. He decided that the best option at the moment was to put on his brilliant and well-kept façade as the nerdiest boy in school, playing the part of the reclusive kid absorbed in dull workbooks of trigonometry. He did find it especially hard, however, to suppress the urge to pummel the bolder jocks who snickered upon passing him. If they only knew what he and his powerful friends had been through, they would leave a respectful space vacant for him, the true defeater of Cell. But not all dreams come true, and this was one of those hopeless dreams.

_Only three more yards until I reach the door into my advanced chemistry class,_ Gohan mused gleefully as his feet quickly closed the frightening gap between him and almost-freedom. For him, "almost-freedom" meant a class absent from the constant prying of the shockingly beautiful and deadly Videl Satan. Advanced chemistry was one of those rare times in which the Videvil and he parted ways until the next period rolled around. You see, Videl was skilled in many things, but chemistry was not on her list...unless you counted the blissful chemistry of a person's body and all the remarkably different ways it breaks and mutates upon being attacked. But that is not the kind of chemistry Gohan studied in this class.

Two miniscule feet remained before our favorite shy demi-Saiyan would be submerged into the peaceful yet so painfully brief realm of Videvil-free class time. Two short, meaningless feet measuring a grand total of twenty-four tiny inches. Dende was being good to him today! Gohan closed half of that space in a joyful yet still slightly jittery leap, his mind already singing eloquent anthems of the sweet liberty he was soon to immerse himself into wholeheartedly.

He had begun rejoicing far too soon.

For, out of nowhere, his worst nightmare appeared, with a perilous light glittering wildly in her positively gorgeous cerulean irises. Her messy, coal-black mop of jaggedly-cut hair spiked in all sorts of wacky directions, adding the perfect spark to her already highly dangerous appearance. With unrelenting hands propped menacingly on her shapely, jean-clad hips, the young spitfire looked as if she meant serious business. And she did. Growling darkly in a way which would rival Prince Vegeta himself, she offered Gohan her very best red-hot glare, laden with all of the hate she could muster.

"GOOOHAAAAAAANNNN..." Videl's fearfully feral rumble erupted out of the deepest recesses of her throat. "Going somewhere?" Her voice now changed to a sickly-sweet tone, laced with a malicious undercurrent that sent shivers crawling up Son Gohan's spine.

"O-Oh Hi V-Videvi-I mean, Videl!" The unfortunate boy choked, sneakily attempting to slip away from his ferocious interrogator.

The she-demon in question sent him a fatal glare which brought him back to his original starting place, so close yet so very far from his goal. He cowered underneath the fire of the oppressive reign that only women are able to hold over men, even those with the blood of hostile and temperamental aliens coursing through their veins. Bulma had managed to slightly tame the Prince of that terrible race, and now a new queen had come to force her dominant and strict rule over another doomed member of that once-undefeatable people. Gohan began to mentally record his will in hopes that Bulma Briefs would be able to create an invention that would read the minds of the deceased.

_Let's see...to Mom I will give...well, what is there to give? She and Dad own all of the practical items in the house. I will give her an imaginary hug from Otherworld. No. Four imaginary hugs. Goten and Trunks can split my old toys between them, and Goten gets the Nimbus. Bulma can get my textbooks, although I doubt she will need them. Vegeta can get my book called "Dealing With Anger Issues," although I really don't think he will ever read it although it would do him good, and I guess Dende can get...umm...another imaginary hug. Master Roshi can have my motorcycle catalogs so that maybe he can stop his porn addiction and lust after better things instead. _

He was interrupted by the sound of his inevitable doom calling him. "Gohan? Earth to GOHAN! What is it with you and having your dorky head in the clouds all the time? Sheesh! Sometimes it's like you're on another planet! What are you daydreaming about, being a chick magnet, or stupid aliens destroying Earth or something?"

_You have no idea,_ thought Gohan with an involuntary chuckle.

The Videvil heard Gohan's expression of his inner thoughts and immediately exploded upon impact. "Were you LAUGHING at me, Gohan? And what's that smug look on your face? Would you mind TELLING ME what you find so AMUSING?"

The poor boy's jaw slammed shut with an audible click, and his face instantly took on a pale, ashen complexion that Videl never knew was possible for anyone. Momentary worries clouded her brain that perhaps this time she had taken things too far, as it was obvious she had hit a chord somewhere. But these sensible warnings were shoved aside, and Videl placed her hands even more firmly on her hips, feet posed in a resolved and determined stance. She cleared her throat expectantly and tapped one tennis-shoe-coated appendage, nodding at her victim sagely.

"Uhhh..." His head darted to and fro, searching frantically for an escape route. He had no idea what bone Videl had to pick with him now, but he could guarantee it would not be a pleasant experience in the least. He had places to be and things to do, but he knew that just telling her this would not make a difference, as she was a determined creature. Suddenly, as if Dende were once again lavishing him with his favor, the late bell rang loud and clear down the halls signifying that both he and the Videvil were tardy for their classes.

"Videl, I've gotta go, and so do you!" Son Gohan squeaked, taking advantage of the moment to scurry past his cruel captor and enter his classroom in a rush. His teacher eyed him suspiciously as he plunked into his seat, cheeks tinged a light pink as he buried his nose in his chemistry textbook. He only half-listened as the teacher droned on and on about chemical structures and the table of elements; he was more enthusiastic about his free time spent away from the Videvil and her bratty, conceited friends Erasa and Sharpener.

The uneventful period sped by in a blur, and soon it was time for the lunch hour. Gohan clutched his lunch-capsule tightly in his sweaty fingers, once again darting down the hallways unnoticed by his fellow students, praying to Dende that maybe he would not have to face Videl any time soon. He knew that the encounter with Videl during lunch would be inevitable, but he could at least try to salvage any remaining peaceful moments he had left before then.

...

His classmates watched in amazement as the nerd boy decapsulized the contents of his Saiyan-efficient food capsule, laying the wide variety of perfectly-cooked vittles spread out across the table. They were even more amazed, and quite disgusted, to watch him devour it all in a frantic haste. He demolished several racks of prime ribs, 16 oz. sirloin cuts, hearty mashed potatoes and an abundance of vegetables all in a few famished bites. His peers slowly glanced away, trying to forget the vulgar scene occurring next to them, and attempted to continue eating their own lunches but found that they had lost any and all appetite they had once possessed.

Z-TV displayed the dimpled face of Mr. Okaryu as he told of the day's happenings. "There seems to be a lot of traveling activity in the suburbs today, which is unusual. So far there have been reports of a major car accident on Highway 387, so expect bumper-to-bumper traffic there. Don't miss our special report tonight at 7, called 'Behind the Helmet: Speculating about Saiyaman,' featuring guest Hercule Satan himself and his opinion on the matter."

Gohan suppressed a snort as he downed another mouthful of shepherd's pie, trying his best to keep from roaring with laughter. He nearly jumped out of his seat when he heard another, much more feminine snort nearby. "V-V-Videl?" He whispered fearfully, cringing away from the azure-eyed female with the spicy attitude perched in a chair to his right.

"Yes, Gohan?" She replied with a deadly sweetness, scooting closer in a way which made the doomed demi-Saiyan sweat half of his weight away. Without warning, she whirled on him and shoved a finger into his chest threateningly. "Where were you yesterday at 2:00 in the afternoon during that crime scene?" The Videvil hissed, indicating yesterday's incident where she and Saiyaman had successfully captured a jewel robber.

"Ummm...in school?" Gohan tried, grinning sheepishly in the Son way.

"Wrong answer, Gohan! The teacher told me you WEREN'T in your appointed classroom at that time, and only later appeared after the crime scene was long over and-"

The poor boy was saved the trouble of answering when the principal came rushing into the cafeteria. "Turn up the TV! All you students, listen to this!" Everyone's heads popped up at the principal's frantic command, and teachers scurried to press the "+Volume" buttons on the respective TV remote controls for the different TVs. The scene shown on the screen depicted a young, moderately pretty reporter standing in front of Capsule Corp. with an ashen frown on her plastic-surgery-altered face.

"We have recieved reports of several different ghost sightings on the Capsule Corp. grounds! Witnesses claim to see a floating man with flame-like, golden hair and strange teal eyes, and supposedly this man also has a frightening golden aura that surrounds his body. This description seems to perfectly match those of the Gold Fighters, although eyewitnesses say this man looked different. One woman wrote to us, saying, 'He wasn't like the Gold Fighters we see sometimes flying through West City! He had the most evil look on his face, and he was yelling something about wanting to murder Bulma Briefs!' Other onlookers have reported seeing the same man, but with no aura and only black hair and black eyes."

Gohan immediately choked on his lamb chop, out of laughter or worry no one knows. He had quite a good idea of who the "ghost" might be. He noticed a handful of students glaring at him, and stuck his nose into a book about algebra as quickly as he could, while still keeping an eye on the television screen.

"...People say he has very harsh facial features, and can levitate giving the appearance of being a ghost. Is this creature a long-dead madman who is bent on the murder of the heiress of Capsule Corp.? Does he desire revenge for activities of the past? Is his intent to haunt the halls of the multi-million-zeni company for all eternity? While some critics will claim that ghosts aren't real, the eyes of the witnesses all seem to be telling the truth when they say that a guest from the worlds beyond is paying an unwelcome visit to the grounds of Capsule Corp."

Videl cocked an eyebrow in interest. She had been longing for something other than catching criminals all day. Perhaps ghost-hunting would be more fun. A grin began to spread itself slowly over her face, and she gently nudged her blond-haired friend, Erasa. "Hey Erasa, you hear that? About the ghost? You wanna have some fun?"

Sharpener heard Videl's last statement and mistook it to have an entirely different meaning. "Yo baby, are ya finally interested in the powers of Sharpie? Come to my house. Ten o'clock. Tonight. You want fun? I'll give you fun."

Videl shrieked in fury. "THE ONLY THING YOU'LL BE GETTING IS A BLACK EYE!" And this was promptly accomplished. Afterwards, Videl stalked away proudly to throw her lunch trash in the garbage cans lying in the corners of the cafeteria.

Gohan finally finished up the last of his meal, and, rubbing his stomach contentedly, began the multiple trips to the garbage cans, wishing he did not have to restrict himself to mere human speeds while in public. He made a mental note to pay a quick visit to Capsule Corp. later that day to warn Bulma and Vegeta of this newest...*snort*...development. What he did not know was Videl's plans to root out the source of this "Capsule Corp. spectre."

The Videvil motioned for Erasa and Sharpener to follow her a little ways from the main student body. "Here's the plan," she explained in hushed tones, "We're going to do some ghost-hunting. I don't believe in ghosts, and I'm sure there is a logical explanation for everything those eyewitnesses saw. Also, this may give me the chance to have a lead-in on Saiyaman while I'm at it."

Erasa, the constantly clueless one, piped up, "Why would the ghost have any connections with Saiyaman, Vi?"

Rolling her eyes, Videl sighed and said, "The news reporter said that the man looked like a Gold Fighter. Saiyaman has been seen flying side by side with Gold Fighters before. If my hunch is right, and this 'ghost' really is one of the Gold Fighters, I can force him to reveal the identity of Saiyaman. And if my other hunch is right, Saiyaman is Gohan."

Now it was Sharpener's turn to submit a stupid comment. "But like, aren't the Gold Fighters kind of dangerous?"

Videl exhaled rapidly in exasperation. "No, Sharpener. Hasn't Hercule taught you anything? It's just some silly light tricks, that's all. I bet all of the Gold Fighters are total wimps. They'll probably cower at the very sight of Videl Satan, daughter of the strongest man in the world!"

Both Erasa and Sharpener giggled, and Sharpener added, "And just wait 'till I show them what I can do! They'll faint at the very image of my greatness!"

Videl seemed quite opposed to this thought, but smiled at him anyway and high-fived him. "You keep thinking that, Sharpener, and maybe one day it will come true. Rally to me, my minions! We are now the Virasener Ghost-Hunting Squad!"

This took some thinking on Erasa's and Sharpener's parts before they realized that "Virasener" was a combination of all three of their names.

Meanwhile, Gohan was thinking about when he would be able to go inform the Briefs about the news broadcast.

Things were definitely heating up.

###

**Author's Notes...** That's the first chapter done! Oooh, the suspense! What will happen next? How will Vegeta handle the news? What evil plot does Videl have up her sleeve? Stay tuned for the next chapter of "Haunted in West City"! Please R&R! Thanks! :)


	2. Evil Schemes for Everyone

**Haunted in West City - Chapter Two: Evil Schemes for Everyone**

**Author's Notes...** Well, here's the second chappie. I would like to thank Sid89, snakemouth, Death101- Fox Version, and The0Blind0Writer for their reviews on Chapter One. I'll try to work on not using so many caps, and I'll see what I can do about everyone's requests.

Enjoy this next chapter, everyone! :D

**Disclaimer:** I forgot to post the disclaimer in the last chapter, so here it is. I don't own Dragon Ball Z. *Sniffle sob sniff*

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Videl brushed a short strand of her midnight-black tangled hair out of her sparkling opal eyes and set her face into a resolute frown. She was firm in her belief that ghosts did not exist, and that all supposed "ghost sightings" were either figments of the imagination, petty pranks, or criminal tricks. And she was going to find out whichever type of sighting it was. Glancing over at her two assistants, Erasa and Sharpener, she let out a huffy sigh. They weren't the best of helpers, but they would work. Somewhat. The Virasener Ghost-Hunting Squad's exploits were at least going to be full of some kind of adventure.

Erasa and Sharpener watched their leader warily, not liking the light they saw glittering in her sky-blue irises. They had learned from experience that it was never a good idea to trust that look Videl acquired sometimes. Almost always, it meant trouble. Sharpener shuddered as a flashback entered his mind's eye.

~*FLASHBACK*~

_Videl had that look again, and she was directing it toward Sharpener. He gulped as she approached him, smiling widely, fists clenched at her sides. For some reason, the image of a smiling martial artist with hands formed into fists did not match up in Sharpener's brain. She was grinning happily, but those knuckles looked...dangerous. Really, really dangerous. And then she charged. Sharpener only had time to utter a gurgling cry before his entire world went black and he crumpled to the floor._

~*END FLASHBACK*~

_Oh no. _Sharpener cringed away from Videl, squeezing himself close to Erasa, who shot him an alarmed and flattered look. "Ooh Sharpie!" The brainless girl squealed, giggling and hugging him cheerfully as she brushed her perfectly-manicured nails across his muscular neck. Sharpener managed a half-smile of satisfaction in spite of himself.

Videl turned away in disgust. _Ok, so they definitely aren't the best,_ the young not-so-helpless maiden speculated, and turned a suddenly fiery eye toward the figure of Gohan, who was now sitting hunched in a chair with a...devious look on his face? She had never known him to grin like that. _Huh, that's strange,_ she mused, and decided to question him about it later. Meanwhile she would not let that mysterious boy out of her sight. _I just don't understand that nerd boy,_ she thought frustratedly. _ He's just different somehow!_

Her thoughts snapped back to the present when Sharpener complained loudly of boredom and wanting to continue his chick-hunt. Erasa slapped him in annoyance and immediately made up, continuing to lavish attention upon him. Videl groaned inwardly. "Listen, Sharpener, it takes a while to come up with a good plan. Fortunately for you, I've got it." She drew both of her friends in, and Sharpener took the opportunity to try and lean in a bit too far. He puckered up...

"Cut that out!" Videl yelled angrily, and the only thing he recieved from her was a knuckle sandwich right on that tender spot that he had puckered in order to bestow a kiss upon the female of his dreams. Too bad for Sharpener.

Clearing her throat agitatedly and making a point of ignoring the piteous whines of the injured jock beside her, Videl continued her valiant speech against the follies of ghost sightings. "All right. So first of all, we are going to need disguises. Since my hair is black, it will fit right into the shadows, but you blondies will have to die your hair."

At this terrible stroke of fate, Sharpener conveniently forgot about his aching lips long enough to grieve for his so very treasured, luxurious locks of blond hair that adorned his dashingly handsome head. They were his identity - the very essence of his existence! To so cruelly tear his essence away from him now was an outright act of complete and utter brutality! This was an outrage! The brave and noble Sharpie could not bear to watch this horrible infringement upon his good looks unfold! For once in his life, Sharpener was going to make a bold stand for justice. His precious hair deserved it.

Clutching said locks of hair within his hands protectively, the Defender of All Things Hair-Related cried out in anger, aghast that Videl would have the audacity to suggest such a traitorous act. "My hair! My beautiful hair! I will not have it turned all ugly and black!"

Videl's eyebrows shot up at the mention of black hair being ugly, as she did not quite believe so since she had black hair herself. "Normally I would kill you for that, Sharpener, but I don't think the principal would be too happy. Oh, and by the way, I can guarantee that gorgeous raven-black hair is a much better chick magnet than stupid-looking blond hair."

That was all it took for Sharpener to betray his hair. Never mind the defense of all things right and good. The attraction of chicks was his prime goal in life, and nothing came before it.

...

Gohan, meanwhile, was quite absorbed in a textbook on how to solve systems of inequalities, but he was not particularily intrested in said subject because he had learned all of it before he even enrolled in Orange Star High School. Of course, this was all his façade at work, and in reality he was watching Videl out of the corner of his eye. His sensitive Saiyan hearing picked up bits and pieces of the conversation, and what he heard worried him.

"...Ghost-Hunting Squad...dye...hair." That was Videl.

"Hair...ugly and black!" Gohan rolled his eyes as Sharpener's pleading reached his ears.

"...Kill you...happy...chick magnet...stupid-looking blond hair." Gohan's eyes widened at Videl's casual mention of murder, and he suddenly adopted a more serious expression. If he had heard Videl right, she was starting a Ghost-Hunting Squad, and she was going to dye Erasa's and Sharpener's hair. And that could only mean one thing: that she was planning on snooping around the grounds of Capsule Corp. to find out whether there really was a ghost. And that was never a good thing.

Right as he was working out when he could leave for CC. in his head, the bell signaling next period rang piercingly in his distressed ears. He decided that for the rest of the day it would be his turn to watch Videl like a hawk. Revenge was so sweet.

...

Gohan zipped through the scarce and disappointingly light shadows draped across some slightly-less-noticable parts of the hallways, hot on the tail of one Videl Satan and her two fellow partners-in-crime Erasa and Sharpener. The three of them seemed to be plotting some diabolically evil plan together, huddled in a conspiratorial group as they moved to their respective classes. The demi-Saiyan felt a prick of irritation when they split up, Videl heading for her own classroom and the two blondes setting off for theirs. Son Gohan did brighten up at the fact that Videl and he were scheduled to be in the same exact class. The leader was the most beneficial of the entire group to have an eye on.

He slipped into his seat and folded his hands upon the wooden desk, ready for some well-deserved feigned sleep. That way Videl would have no idea of his real intention: to spy on her the entire time! As the teacher explained the Earth's drab and pointless ancient history, Gohan kept a fierce onyx eye trained upon the tricky teen beside him while pretending to be fully submersed in the wonderful world of the Mayans and their eerie predictions of doom. She appeared harmless enough, but years of battling all sorts of enemies, including cute, innocent looking ones or drop-dead gorgeous ones, had taught Gohan not to judge a book by its cover. Videl was an example of the latter kind of foe, bewitchingly beautiful and just as dangerous to all who dared cross her path.

Several times, Videl turned a questioning eye upon her observer, and cocked an eyebrow as he immediately turned all of his rapt attention to his intriguing history book, scurrying to flip to the correct page after discovering he had neglected this action during the teacher's lecture. Her suspicion rapidly mounted after she caught him repeating this more than twenty times, and she came to the conclusion that he was indeed watching her closely. _So he's trying to turn the tables on me, hmm? He must be onto me,_ Videl contemplated as she watched his pitiful attempts to decieve her by switching his gaze back to his textbook.

...

The rest of the day passed with no major incidents, and Gohan found himself holding the cell phone Chi-Chi had entrusted to him pressed up to his ear as he called to let her know of his extra errand. His mother had forced him to keep a cell phone in his pocket at all times lest something tragic should happen to him. Chi-Chi was always worrying about cars hitting her poor delinquent of a son, or of some horrible threat like Cell challenging him to a battle, or of anything that might endanger her dear little baby who wasn't exactly little anymore.

The ringtone sounded once, and an anxious voice blared through the speakers. "Gohan? Is that you? Did something happen? Oh, did my poor little baby boy get hurt? Oh my goodness! Have you called the police? Is someone fighting you? Do you need medical attention? I'll call for the doctor if you need it, dearie!"

A sweatdrop rolled down the young captive's face as he replied, "Um, no, Mom. I'm just going to stop at Capsule Corp. on the way home, okay? I need to talk to Bulma and Vegeta about something."

The relieved voice of his mother broke through the connection. "Ohhhh Gohan! I'm so happy my little boy didn't get hurt! Of course you can go to Capsule Corp., Gohan! Just be back in time for dinner, okay? I'm fixing some sushi and lots of it!"

Son Gohan's face split into a wide Son-grin. _Sushi! Oh joy!_ "No problem, Mom! I wouldn't miss out on your cooking for the world!"

He snuck out of Orange Star High School, checking for any signs of his dear friend and target Videl, and then decided to ask Bulma for a miniature spy cam, which, he was sure, would come in handy sometime in the upcoming days.

###

**Author's Notes...** Ok, I'm not as happy with this chapter as much as I was with the first, but I'm trying to fill this fic with action while taking up the space of several chapters. Don't worry; you'll see plenty of fun and adventure in the upcoming chappies. For now I'm going to rest my poor aching fingers. They've been typing nonstop for ages. Please tell me what you think, and once again I tip my hat to everyone who has reviewed!


	3. Prince of All Ghosts

**Haunted in West City - Chapter Three: Prince of All Ghosts **

**Author's Notes...** Ok, here's the third chapter. A thank you goes to Death101- Fox Version for the review on Chapter 2, and Anj3lik for the review on Chapter 1. Also, I have a very important question. Is Sharpener's name spelled "Sharpner" or "Sharpener"? I want to be as accurate as possible. Oh, and I just updated it slightly by the recommendation of Death101- Fox Version. I've made what Gohan said more clear when he asks Bulma to turn on the TV. Thanks, and enjoy! :)

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Dragon Ball Z. But a girl can dream, right?

###

The wind buffeted Son Gohan's already-wild hair as he shot through the deep blue afternoon sky, leaving a glittering trail of energy behind him. He shut his coal-black eyes momentarily to savor the exquisite beauty of Earth, and spread his arms wide in exhilaration. Soaring across the horizon, he felt as if all was fine in his world. For the most part, it was. There were no nude lizards with thick, coiling white tails attempting to destroy his family and friends. There were no power-sucking cyborgs plaguing the city...well, no evil ones at least. Cell was long defeated. There were no blue-skinned freaks with hair the color of his deceased father's gi to battle. But there was one enemy that remained. And that enemy was Videl.

Vegeta would vehemently insist that he remained a threat, but most of the remaining Z Fighters had already accepted the fact that he had mostly changed his ways, no matter how much he claimed otherwise. He was still a source of fear for some of the warriors, especially Bulma's former boyfriend Yamcha, who had been warned of a painful death by the hands of the Saiyan Prince himself lest he was seen at a distance of a yard or less near Bulma.

Soon, the teenager touched down upon the soft lawn of Capsule Corp., with slight breezes tugging gently on his clothes. He took a solid second to breath in the blissful air and then lifted a fist to knock soundly on the front door of Bulma and Vegeta's wealthy estate.

The door opened, and Gohan beheld a cheerful young lady with impeccably-styled aqua-blue hair and sparkling sapphire eyes. She shot a smile at him and ushered him inside. "Why, hello, Gohan! What brings you here today? Did Vegeta call to ask if you wanted to train with him? He's in the Gravity Room as usual."

The demi-Saiyan shook his head at Bulma. "No, Vegeta didn't call. But actually, I would like to talk to the two of you about something I heard in the news today at school!"

Bulma frowned thoughtfully. "The two of us...? Oh, let me guess. Vegeta did something, didn't he? What store clerk did he threaten with certain death _this_ time?"

"I didn't threaten any stupid store clerk, although each and every one of them deserves it." Both of their heads swiveled to find the haughty Saiyan Prince himself staring the two of them down fiercely. The evidence of his tough training regime was written all over his sweating form, and he uncrossed his arms, letting them swing loosely.

A wild smirk was spread-eagled across his features, complimenting his coal-black eyes. His midnight-black mane spiked upwards in shadowy flames of tangled hair. Murky orbs of sweat slid down his forehead and reddened, muscular neck, streaming down his bulky, well-built arms in flowing rivers that served to only slightly cool him down. He wore a suit of tattered navy blue spandex stretched across his frame, marred with rips and slight scorch marks which indicated a moderately intense workout. His gloved hands were clenched into bone-hard fists against his sides, and his feet were clad in elegant yet battle-toughened white boots. Orange-and-white armor fit snugly atop his bulging chest, enhancing his arrogant, defined silhouette. His hawk-like, high cheekbones and chiseled facial attributes cut parallel and perpendicular angles with his thick, arching charcoal eyebrows and turned-up nose.

Gohan took a frightened step backwards as a hungry look entered Bulma's previously-genteel irises. He watched in horror and curiosity as the genius offered a coy smile to her mate, and nearly sighed in relief when it was not returned by the Saiyan Prince. Instead, Vegeta shook his head, mumbling the ominous words of "later; training" and folding his arms again, leaning against the wall with eyebrows raised.

Gohan realized he had not sensed Vegeta's ki, and therefore the ornery alien must have been smothering it. He still felt dazed over the frankly frightening scene he had just witnessed between Bulma and Vegeta. Pushing aside his thoughts, Gohan spoke up, saying, "Bulma, Vegeta, I'll have you know that Vegeta did do something, but I'm afraid it's a lot bigger than just scaring a store clerk out of their wits." He was rewarded with a snicker from the Prince and an annoyed look from Bulma.

"Bulma, do you still record the Z-TV News with Mr. Okaryu on your Capsule Corp. DVR? There's something I think you'll want to see," Gohan instructed her.

The scientist sighed raggedly and shot a venomous glare at Vegeta. "Actually, Vegeta, I'm canceling that thing," she hissed at him, and Gohan felt confused. What was Bulma canceling? Why did Vegeta suddenly look ten times more angry than before? For the second time that day, he forced strange thoughts away from his brain and watched as Bulma picked up the remote control and pressed a button.

The TV flickered to life, and the sounds of Mr. Okaryu's report blared through the speakers.

"There seems to be a lot of traveling activity in the suburbs today, which is unusual. So far there have been reports of a major car accident on Highway 387, so expect bumper-to-bumper traffic there. Don't miss our special report tonight at 7, called 'Behind the Helmet: Speculating about Saiyaman,' featuring guest Hercule Satan himself and his opinion on the matter."

Vegeta groaned impatiently. "Well, Gohan, what's so huge about-"

"Shh, listen!" Gohan commanded, ignoring the look of blatant hatred Vegeta directed at him. Appearing quite irked, the Prince turned his half-hearted attention back to the TV, cocking a brow when the scene switched to the Capsule Corp. grounds.

"We have recieved reports of several different ghost sightings on the Capsule Corp. grounds! Witnesses claim to see a floating man with flame-like, golden hair and strange teal eyes, and supposedly this man also has a frightening golden aura that surrounds his body. This description seems to perfectly match those of the Gold Fighters, although eyewitnesses say this man looked different. One woman wrote to us, saying, 'He wasn't like the Gold Fighters we see sometimes flying through West City! He had the most evil look on his face, and he was yelling something about wanting to murder Bulma Briefs!' Other onlookers have reported seeing the same man, but with no aura and only black hair and black eyes."

Gohan watched fearfully as Bulma's face contorted from boredom to shock and then to outright fury. Just for safety measures, he swiftly scooted behind the couch, ready to defend himself against any attack that the angry genius might choose to launch toward him. A quick glance at Vegeta affirmed just what he thought it would...that the Prince truly enjoyed it. His shoulders moved up and down rapidly as he attempted to suppress his laughter - telltale evidence of Vegeta's mirth. The silent signs of amusement soon escalated into an all-out explosion of chuckles, which slowly dissipated into quiet snorts as soon as Bulma turned her evil gaze upon her mate.

"Woman, admit it. It's hilarious! Those weaklings really think I'm some sort of...ghost! Hah! I could seriously have a lot of fun with this, woman!" The devious ex-villain rubbed his hands together in diabolical glee, a wild, insane light consuming his devilish onyx eyes.

His mate, who seemed alarmingly unimpressed, marched over to the Prince of All Saiyans and jabbed a finger viciously into his chest. "No, Vegeta, it isn't hilarious. Do you realize how bad this is for Capsule Corp.'s publicity? Even the smallest rumor of a ghost haunting the company could drastically reduce capsule sales! I'm ashamed of you, Vegeta! You know how important this is to me, the heiress! I insist that you be more careful, because I simply cannot allow you to be tramping all through town ruining the reputation of Capsule Corp. like that!"

Son Gohan had more news to report. "And even worse, I saw Videl Satan talking with her two friends today. She said something about ghost-hunting."

Bulma gave an aggravated cry. "Argh! That's just what we need! Some kids snooping around looking for a ghost with golden hair and teal eyes! This. Is. Bad. For. Publicity!"

Vegeta snorted. "Videl Satan? You mean the daughter of that deceitful weakling Hercule? Bah! Like _she_ could ever do any harm! Total idiocy runs in the Satan family genes! I don't get what is so bad about this!"

The demi-Saiyan shook his head. "Vegeta, it's not like that. I've told you guys that she's onto me in my Saiyaman costume, and she has already linked the appearance of the Gold Fighters with me. Knowing Videl, she probably isn't accepting this ghost junk, and most likely she is trying to get to the bottom of this so that she can find out more about _me!"_

Both Vegeta and Bulma stared at Gohan in confusion for a moment, and then both of their brows furrowed. "Well, wouldn't that be better if the ghost is actually a Gold Fighter? That way it won't cause so huge of a ruckus with the press." Bulma questioned, hands on her hips.

"No, it's not. Like I said, Videl links Gold Fighters with Saiyaman since she's seen Saiyaman in the company of them every now and then. And since she wants to find out more about me, she can talk to one of these Gold Fighters and get more information!"

Vegeta shrugged. "So? I can just not answer her stupid questions if she somehow manages to find me. Which she won't."

"But a Gold Fighter avoiding Videl's questions and acting rough (as you are sure to do) is guaranteed to cause problems with the press, and that means Capsule Corp. suffers," Gohan reasoned, picking absentmindedly at a scab on his thumb as he talked. "So what do you propose we do? Any ideas?"

Bulma's face suddenly spread into a surprisingly Goku-like grin. She folded her arms and adopted a sassy appearance as she leaned against the couch, eyes bright with mischief. Her mate was slightly interested in this apparent change of heart and watched her somewhat warily from his spot several feet away. "All right. We're taking a huge risk here, but I think there is only one option for us. This is going to sound really weird coming from me, but hey! Identities and reputations are on the line here!" She beckoned for both males to come in closer so they could hear her more clearly.

Smiles lit up the faces of both Vegeta and Gohan as Bulma enlightened them on what her plan consisted of. Vegeta began to maliciously rub his hands together again, and even Gohan felt a rush of pure evil overtake his kinder side. Terrible chuckles escaped from Vegeta's and Gohan's mouths, and even Bulma giggled conspiratorially. Just at that moment, Vegeta ceased his dark sniggering and beckoned to the form of chibi Trunks, who had been eavesdropping in the doorway. "I sensed your ki," he explained.

Upon sighting her son, a devious look crossed the female scientist's face. "Ah, Trunks. I think this plan just got more evil." She filled him in on a plot that was worthy of the mad scientist Dr. Gero himself, and the youngster clapped his hands merrily at the beautiful prospect.

"Yay, Mommy! Can Goten be a part of it too?"

"Of course, Trunks."

Vegeta let out an uncharacteristic whoop and announced, "I must say, this is _brilliant,_ woman! I had no idea you could be so horribly _evil!"_

Bulma shocked everyone in the room when she executed a frightening cackle and smirked. Vegeta felt slightly miffed that his mate had almost exactly replicated his trademark facial expression, but in the end he decided that it was all for a good cause.

A good cause that was mostly evil.

###

**Author's Notes...** So this is the end of Chapter 3. What terrible plot could Bulma be thinking of? (And yes, I already have a genius plan in mind.) Stay tuned for the fourth chapter! And while you're waiting, please do me a favor and review! I would love more reviews on this thing! Thanks! :)


	4. And So It Begins

**Haunted in West City - Chapter Four: And So It Begins **

**Author's Notes... **And the fourth chapter raises its head. I'm greatly obliged to Death101- Fox Version, ultranx, duhorcommonsense, KarinKurosakiHitsugaya913, LoPe21, and RoronoaZoro87 for their reviews on Chapter 3! Also, thanks go to LoPe21 for the reviews on Chapter 1 and Chapter 2. And LoPe21, yep, you've gotta love Vegeta. He's my favorite character. I'm positively flattered by all of the nice comments I'm getting! I'll see what I can do about your requests and comments. As for romance, I'm meaning to make this eventual Gohan/Videl, but I'll see what I can do about a mini-pairing with Erasa. Now, without further ado, I present to you the fourth chapter of "Haunted in West City"!

###

Videl Satan dragged a hairbrush through her unruly hair, already knowing that it was a fruitless endeavor. She winced as a rather large knot was cruelly torn from her head, and plucked the round mass of hair out of the brush gingerly. Deciding to give up on ever de-knotting her midnight-black tangles, she plunked the terrible instrument down upon her desk with a loud clump. Mentally, she recounted the plans she had made to rid the world of superstition forever. She would expose the "ghost" as a total phony and reveal the identity of Saiyaman, killing two birds with one stone. She yanked open one of her drawers and unfolded her special sneaking outfit. _Now to call Erasa and Sharpener so I can make more plans,_ thought the teen as she hunted for clothing to fit her friends.

...

Gohan had begun to scare himself with the way he felt as he made the journey home. _Is this how Vegeta feels most of the time?_ The young boy speculated as more malicious emotions welled up inside of him in a never-ending fountain of malignant thoughts. The details of Bulma's foolproof plot buzzed through his brain, mixing with the demi-Saiyan's newfound evil impulses. The plan had covered everything: his identity as Saiyaman, the press's hunger for ghostly tales, and even the fame of Capsule Corp. into one neat, unbelievably fun little package. The only real obstacle that remained was explaining the whole ordeal to the overprotective parent known as Chi-Chi Son. He winced as recollections of past scars due to his mother's exploits with her vengeful frying pan invaded the sacred territory of his now evil-corrupted mind.

He considered allowing his mother to play a part in the events that were inevitably going to transpire on the grounds of Capsule Corp., thinking that perhaps she would add something wonderfully terrible to the activites Bulma had planned. First, however, he knew he would have to inform Chi-Chi of all the happenings, and would have to kindly suggest Bulma's desire to have Goten involved as well.

The sparkling lights of the now darkening Satan City whizzed by, blending together into a rainbow of color as he passed over them. Hovercars with the Capsule Corp. logo emblazoned upon them sped slowly down the gravel roads in the magnificent town, the humans inside appearing to Gohan as tiny ants, gullible and easily squished. He swiftly rebuked himself for such uncharacteristic thoughts, and wondered if it really was such a good idea to spend so much time with the Saiyan Prince and his wacky family. _Why did I think of humans as able to be "squished"? That's not right! I'm supposed to protect those weak-OOPS!-humans, not violently squish them! Well, at least it's practice for my role!_ This reminder of the excitement-filled days to come did a fine job of turning Gohan's musings from the ethical side of things, and he was soon dreaming up more additions to Bulma's plan as he sped across the horizon toward his home.

...

Erasa and Sharpener, both with their hair freshly dyed, appeared at Videl's door, ringing the bell. They were surprised at the sight they came upon as they entered the luxurious mansion of Hercule, Defeater of Cell. Videl, with messy hair pulled back into a sloppy ponytail, crouched in the shadows, appearing almost completely invisible. Atop her head, she wore a black bicycle helmet adorned with a collection of leaves which made her look like a plant in the shape of a girl. Her shirt was black, and she wore camouflage capris, both articles of clothing covered in leaves as well.

Videl grinned. "Hey guys! You ready to get your own makeovers?" Both of her minions nodded in excitement, pointing to their own black manes. Videl held up their intended outfits and ushered them into her room, taking the extra precaution of closing all of the blinds and dimming the lights as to prohibit anyone from spying. By the end of the procedure, three human-shaped plants were conversing together about the possible ways they could unravel the truth about the rumors.

...

Shades of indigo tinged the crimson horizon, and the earliest stars twinkled brightly in the serene evening sky. Waves of soft pink harmonized with the dull orange hue of the atmosphere, casting its seductive spell of slumber upon the shadow-dappled forests brushing by below the flying demi-Saiyan. Streaks of blood cut gaping lines though the dying day, dripping downwards in puddles of dazzling scarlet glowing with the last of the sun's light. A periwinkle haze settled over the valleys, and Gohan's eyes began to slowly flutter closed, lulled gently to sleep by the reassuring beauty of everything. Thin, wispy clouds were drawn in pearl-white puffs across the shady sky, and he flew through them, the mist enveloping him and then finally releasing him once he exited each one.

Lazily, he began to descend, letting the quiet breezes ruffle his charcoal hair and caress him in their cool, comforting embrace. He pushed open the door to the cute, spherical home in which he made his living each day, and instantly, the most heavenly of all smells hit his nostrils in an all-out attack against his senses.

The unmatched, tangy scent of his mother's flawless sushi.

And Goten was already seated at the table, licking his lips in anticipation.

In a moment, Gohan had joined his little brother, with hands propped expectantly upon the table and fists clutching a fork and knife tightly. His nose picked out the tantalizing aromas of oriental spices and sauces, and the salty odor of salmon. His mother placed the tempting dishes upon the table, and there they sat in all of their glory, vulnerable to the hungry admiration of the two demi-Saiyans.

Needless to say, the sushi did not last very long in this world. Let us take a moment of silence to honor the painfully short lives of Chi-Chi's award-winning cooking before we continue on with this story.

Gohan then clanked his fork against the crystalline side of his water glass for attention. The jolly tone tinkled though the house, and his mother's face twitched slightly with interest. "Well, what do you have to say to us, Gohan?" She quizzed.

Grinning, the teen in question slurped down the remaining water in said glass, cleared his throat, and announced, "I have some good news, and some bad news, mother. I will begin with the bad news so that I can get it over with."

Chi-Chi frowned slightly, but indicated that her son should continue.

"The bad news is that your son has officially turned evil," Gohan began.

Due to Gohan's light-hearted tone, his mother did not take her son's proclamation within a grain of salt and simply waited for the good news.

"The good news is that my changing sides is actually for quite a beneficial cause. You see, Videl is convinced I'm Saiyaman, which is true. But I don't want her to think I am Saiyaman. She's very suspicious of me, though, and this has caused problems when we fight crime together in the city. She wants to take any chance she can get to find out the truth about my identity. And that's going to be terrible for us! Just think of the press!"

His mother grimaced at the unappealing thought of the nosy press members hounding her and her son for more information about Saiyaman and his mythical powers.

Lowering his voice, the demi-Saiyan entered into conspiracy mode. "And today, there was a report of a ghost sighting at Capsule Corp., and the witnesses say they saw a 'man with glowing yellow hair, teal eyes, and a yellow aura wanting to murder Bulma Briefs'. I think we all know who that is. It came up on the news today. So on the way home, I stopped by Capsule Corp. to warn Bulma and Vegeta about it. And then Bulma did the unthinkable."

Chi-Chi raised an eyebrow. "The unthinkable, hmm?"

"She came up with a plan that will protect my identity as Saiyaman, scare Videl out of her wits, and even shield Capsule Corp.'s reputation should the press come calling! It's totally foolproof! But she needs all the living Saiyans to help. That means me, Goten, Trunks, and the original haunt of CC. - namely, Vegeta."

Gohan's mother gave the appearance of being deep in thought for a second or two, and then she asked, "What, exactly, does this plan entail? Is it dangerous?"

Gohan shook his head. "Nope, not dangerous at all! In fact, it's going to be lots of fun!"

He leaned closer in, and Goten and Chi-Chi followed suit, their eyes widening with the same manevolent glee Gohan had first felt upon hearing Bulma's plan. Goten began to bounce up and down in his seat, already impatient for the festivities to begin. Chi-Chi even volunteered to play a part in the brilliant scheme! She got in touch with her inner prankster - a side she never, in her wildest dreams, knew she possessed. To her suprise, it felt so refreshingly _wonderful_ to be a villain! She now understood why Vegeta acted the way he did.

Chi-Chi instantly dialed up Bulma Briefs to review the plan over.

"Hello?" Bulma asked into the reciever.

"It's Chi-Chi," came the voice.

Bulma jumped back when she heard the Vegeta-like tone in her friend's voice.

"Well hi, Chi-Chi! Did Gohan tell you about my plan?" Bulma asked her.

"Yes, he did. And I'd just like to review it with you so I know all of the details again," replied that ominous voice.

"Ok!" Bulma settled into her maniacal-genius act, grinning from ear to ear as she explained.

"Capsule Corp. is known for its fantastic inventions that can perform almost limitless actions. Some capsules contain hovercars. Others contain important machinery for factories. Vegeta's personal favorite capsules are the ones which contain Gravity Rooms. But you know all this, of course. Now, in these past decades, the Earth has experienced traumatic events, such as various enemies arriving on Earth to do various levels of damage to it, and the more obvious Cell Games. Ever since then, superstitious beliefs have been on the rise. People are more likely to believe in things such as alien invasions, superpowers, and ghosts."

"All of which that have happened, although thanks to Hercule everyone is doubtful," Chi-Chi reasoned.

"Precisely, Chi-Chi. Now that Gohan is growing into a man, he has decided to take up crime fighting in his spare time, and he uses an alter-ego named Saiyaman as his cover. But once again, you have knowledge of that. As your son has told you, Hercule's daughter Videl also fights crime, and is growing mightily suspicious of Gohan. So he struggles with taming his Saiyan side no matter how much he wants to bring it out, and on top of all that he has to hide it from a prying female. He even juggles schoolwork in addition to his already highly stressful troubles."

Chi-Chi had begun to get bored. None of this was new to her. She continued listening to her friend anyway.

"Recently, it has become apparent that His Royal Highness has been spotted by witnesses, and at such wrong times! Threatening to murder me, even if he doesn't mean it, will come off horribly bad in the eyes of the world. The reporter talked about it on the news, and then Videl saw this and decided to check it out, being the crime-fighter she is. So I've come up with a plan to distract her from Saiyaman, cover up for Capsule Corp., and allow the boys to have plenty of fun at the same time!"

Now this was getting interesting! Chi-Chi tuned in.

"Of course, I will play a big role, and it would be nice if you could, too. Together, we will convince Videl that ghosts are real, and create a scene for her and Saiyaman to work together in their crime-fighting style as well. Here's how we will do it. All of the Saiyans will act as if they are ghosts, and use the Afterimage Technique at times to add even more ghostly confusion to it all. Then Gohan will sneak away, switch into Saiyaman mode, and come flying back to fight the spectres alongside Videl."

Chi-Chi grinned. This sounded like fun.

Bulma continued, "Now, this will only work if we do this again and again. One day of it will not sufficiently convince Videl. We will let her do her spying for several days before Saiyaman can jump in. And as for how Capsule Corp.'s reputation will be upheld, here's what will happen. You see, my father has been working on a way to enter Otherworld without dying. A portal, if you will. Of course, it's primitive and has not been tested yet, but don't you think this is the perfect time to use it? During the fight, I can bring out the contraption and fire it up so that it looks like the 'ghosts' will get pulled into Otherworld. In reality, I will turn the thing off before it actually gets the chance to do anything, but the 'ghosts' will zap away from the scene at their inhuman speeds so it appears they actually went into Otherworld."

"Ok, Bulma, but I must ask, what if the press are decieved into thinking the contraption really works?" Chi-Chi inquired of her friend.

"Well, that's the thing. This will be an actual test that's not actual, if you get what I mean. It will be the very first time I've ever turned the thing on, and yet it won't get the chance to do its magic. I will situate the machine so that it is hard to see from the Capsule Corp. lawn as well as hard to see from Videl's perspective, and so neither the press nor Videl will be able to get a good picture of it. The ghosts will disappear, and everyone will suspect that either they went away because of Saiyaman's appearance or CC.'s new invention. But no evidence will be able to be made clearly, and everyone's reputations will be protected."

"So basically it will be one large prank that will give Videl a scare and protect Saiyaman and Capsule Corp. at the same time," Chi-Chi said, recounting everything Bulma had told her.

"Yep. That about sums it up," Bulma replied.

"I'd better get ready then." Chi-Chi was already formulating ideas on how to help the procedure.

"We're doing the same over here!" Bulma answered, grinning.

The next couple days were sure to be hectic and outrageously enjoyable for all parties.

###

**Author's Notes...** Okay, well, I'm not sure if I did this one so well. Is the plan too confusing? Is the chapter boring? Please tell me your opinions. *Gulp* Once again, I appreciate any reviews! Thank you! :)


	5. Costumes, Colors, and Choreography

**Haunted in West City - Chapter Five: Costumes, Colors, and Choreography **

**Author's Notes... **Time for the fifth chapter! Once again, I'm grateful to SeanHicks4, LoPe21, ultranx, duhorcommonsense, Anj3lik, Death101- Fox Version, Sid89, and The0Blind0Writer for your reviews! I've been getting a lot of requests and I would like to use several of them in the story so that 1) there will be something for everyone, 2) it will make the fanfic a lot more interesting, and 3) it will challenge my writing skills! I may not be able to do them all, and I've decided not to do the Gohan/Erasa pairing, but I'll see what I can put in and what awesome twists I can insert! This is going to be fun for me to do!

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Dragon Ball Z! Get away from me, you lawyers! AAAAHHH!

###

"Woman, I agreed to act as a ghost, but I didn't agree to wear _this!_ I'm a Prince!" Vegeta paced across the living room, a pair of embarrassingly silky black ballerina tights clutched in one hand, becoming increasingly wrinkled each second they remained in the alien's agitated grip. He finally freed them from their bondage and tossed them angrily to the floor, frowning at them as if to try and scare them away using only his facial expressions.

"Argh! C'mon, Vegeta, I don't have all the costumes in the world!" Bulma insisted, irked that her mate was being so resistant.

"Isn't there anything scarier I can wear?" Vegeta countered, wiggling his fingers as if to get rid of the sensation of holding the offensive clothing in his hands.

"Black silky stuff _is_ scary, Vegeta," Bulma explained, continuing to rummage through her closet full of outfits as she spoke.

"Not to _me_ it isn't! I would look like one of Frieza's morons with those stupid tights!"

"Har har. Sheesh, Vegeta, get a grip, would you? What, you want a crown of real skulls or something?" Bulma glared at him, arms folded in annoyance, eyes blazing.

"That would be much better than this!" The Prince replied resolutely, taking a moment to stomp on the tights which now lay in a crumpled heap upon the floor.

"Ugh. You're hopeless, Vegeta. I was being sarcastic." Bulma stooped to pick up the bundle of clothing, and proceeded to fold it neatly, placing it back in its compartment with the utmost care and precision. She rolled her eyes at the look she recieved from her mate and simply ignored it, to his utter chagrin.

"I knew you were, woman. I'm not an idiot. As soon as you find me something manlier to wear, I am going to go train in the Gravity Room!" The Saiyan thundered, marching out of the room and slamming the door so that it rattled in its frame. Bulma sighed and turned back to her job of costume-hunting, grinning as she beheld several interesting options.

...

Trunks brushed a strand of lavender hair out of his aqua-blue eyes, offering a demon-worthy grin to his fellow partner-in-crime, Goten. He quickly scratched an itchy area where his costume came in contact with his skin and stretched out his arms, testing to see how much flexibility and freedom of movement the outfit allowed him. He wore gray silk tights and tall, white and shiny kid-leather boots, which made him taller and more elegant-looking. A matching coat the color of a stormy sky with long, flowing coattails trailed behind him, and layered on top of this was a pearl-colored velvet cloak which gave him a ghostly appearance. He floated half a foot above the ground, uttering soft, eerie wails that echoed across the lawn. These were soon followed with giggles from himself and Goten.

Goten was attired in an outfit much like Trunks', except that his tights and coat were dyed a deep, bloody crimson. His white cloak billowed behind him like a cloud, sometimes brushing against his tight-clad legs whenever the winds died down.

Unlike Vegeta, both chibis thoroughly loved their costumes and sauntered impishly across the yard, proudly displaying their clothing for all to see. Together, the choreographed their performance, twirling around each other in ecstacy, giggling all the while. Goten executed a perfect loop-de-loop in the air just as Trunks spun through a beautiful corkscrew, and both demi-Saiyans collided, collapsing on the ground in a fit of laughter.

"This is going to be so awesome!" Goten announced, and Trunks wholeheartedly agreed.

...

Meanwhile, Videl and her minions were working out their battle plan. Videl had been vehemently defending her theory that ghosts currently did not, and would not, and had not, ever existed at any point of time in any history of any planet. Not that there was life on any other planet, anyway; she had simply used that argument as a way to add finality to her strong and unwavering belief. Of course, if she knew a bit more about her friend Gohan, she would immediately be forced to admit the presence of extraterrestrial beings. But, thus far, she didn't, and so she stuck to her adamant opinions of a virtually ghost-free and alien-free universe. How little she knew.

Erasa was of the same opinion, but she was a more mannerly child and did not often go around stating her beliefs loudly to any and all who would listen, unless it was her thoughts on the latest style of clothing. Sharpener was slightly less convinced, and due to the fact that his camouflage clothing bothered him much like Trunks' own costume did, he was not paying too much attention to Videl's ramblings anyway.

The martial artist in question cleared her throat and moved on to bigger and better things: namely, the actual plan part of the battle plan. "So, here's what we do. It's going to be easy to prove that this guy is a fake. I mean, ghosts are supposed to be transparent and non-solid, right? Or, at least that's what I've heard. Since ghosts aren't real, nobody knows for sure what they would look like. Anywoo, I think that's what we are going to do first. We are going to prove that ghosts aren't real, so that people would stop being so superstitious!"

Her friends dipped their heads at her to continue.

"First, we will sneak onto the lawn of Capsule Corp. and hide in the bushes or behind trees or whatever foliage we can find. We'll camp out there for a bit until we see the 'ghost' come out of his hiding place. Since there's only one guy, he shouldn't be too hard to take down. So when he comes out and starts doing whatever, floating or yelling or whatnot, we'll ambush him. If he's floating too high for our reach, we'll try to lure him down by saying he'll go to jail if he doesn't. If he's only a little ways off the ground, then we can jump him. Sharpener, you come around the back, and Erasa, you can attack from the side. I'll lunge toward him from the front. Our combined weight should force him down to the ground, and then it'll be a piece of cake from there. I'll interrogate him over Saiyaman, and once I've got the answers, I'll ask him why he was pretending to haunt CC. and rebuke him for wanting to murder Bulma Briefs. Then I'll call the police and they can drag him away."

It was a good plan, and it would work if they were dealing with regular, trick-playing human beings. But, unbeknownst to them, they weren't. They were coming up against trained warriors with the ability to sense and manipulate ki.

...

With a smile on his face, Gohan performed a fancy twirl in front of Bulma Briefs. His indigo costume, which matched those of Trunks and Goten, swished around him, and his kid-leather boots squeaked as they spun through the air along with their wearer's body. He secured the luxurious cloak tighter around his well-tanned neck and struck a pose, tossing his monstrous mop of hair about like a first-class diva. "Does it match my eyes?" He jabbed jokingly, fluttering his eyelashes and switching to yet another supermodel-like stance.

"Quit fooling around, boy," Vegeta hissed upon entering the room. Bulma had finally found a costume that the arrogant Prince deemed worthy, and it did look rather becoming on him. A maroon tank top accentuated his well-toned muscles, and a tight-fitting black leather jacket added a touch of motorcycle gang flair. Shiny midnight-black pants were plastered against his form, and denim fingerless gloves encircled his palms. Blue-and-orange boots replaced his typical Saiyan attire.

Gohan glanced at Bulma. "Uh, are you sure about Vegeta's costume...?"

Bulma sighed raggedly. "Yeah, I'll have to be that way. He wouldn't accept anything else."

...

Videl folded her arms determinedly after explaining the scheme. "We are going to make this happen."

Sharpener quizzed, "When are we going to do it?"

Grinning wildly, the teen replied, "Tonight. Tonight, we spy."

...

Vegeta frowned. "I have a feeling that tonight, things are going to happen."

Bulma smiled devilishly. "So do I, Vegeta, so do I. Tonight, we attack."

###

**Author's Notes...** Well then! Chapter five is done! I may take a bit longer to write Chapter 6, because this weekend a friend is coming over and is staying for Friday and Saturday. It depends if I can get writing in over the weekend. Please review! :D


	6. The Spies vs The Saiyans

**Haunted in West City - Chapter 6: The Spies .vs. the Saiyans**

**Author's Notes...** Time for the action to finally begin. I'm going to have a LOT of fun writing this chapter. Oh, and kudos to whoever can guess which part of the Dragon Ball trilogy Vegeta's costume comes from. Yes, it's something he actually wears. More kudos goes to Anj3lik, ultranx, Death101- Fox Version, duhorcommonsense, and RoronoaZoro87 for the reviews on Chapter 5.

**Disclaimer:** Once again, don't own Dragon Ball Z. *Sigh* Why do I have to post a disclaimer each and every chapter? It's depressing!

###

Three silhouettes slipped through the forest of foliage, their faces slashed with shadows. Exotic flowers and tropical plants stretched their branches among hulking pines and fragrant citrus trees. Sugar cane grew in profusion next to thriving oak saplings, and brightly-colored hibiscus blossoms bloomed next to gracefully drooping willow trees. Darkness bathed the world in an oppressive mist which blanketed everything in humidity. There was evidence of this humidity, shown by the bead of sweat which trickled down the forehead of the jagged-haired female in front. This same evidence could be found on the other two. Every muscle tensed with excitement. Every sense was on the alert.

Videl brushed aside a leafy branch to stare out into the open space before her. They had been wandering through Mrs. Briefs' gardens, occasionally stopping to admire the beauty they saw around them. Narrowing her eyes, she beckoned to her friends. "The coast is clear. Let's go." Speedily, the threesome slipped out from their hiding place and ran, their footsteps thudding against the decorative stepping stones laid out in pretty patterns upon the hard-packed dirt.

The young martial artist placed her back upon the cold concrete wall of Capsule Corp., and her friends followed suit, adrenaline pumping through their veins as they waited. _Thump thump...thump thump...thump thump._ Videl felt the blood pounding in the back of her brain, and her breaths came in painful, shallow gasps. A quick glance at Erasa and Sharpener informed her that they were having the same experience.

Erasa adjusted the leaf-plastered helmet atop her head, brushing a lock of dyed hair out of her eyes. She forced herself to calm down, and focused her attention upon the patch of grass in front of her. Sharpener did the same, watching for any signs of movement among the serene, night-dappled garden. _It's beautiful,_ he thought to himself.

...

Vegeta settled himself against one wall of the living room, raising an eyebrow. "I sense three small power levels heading this way. Do you suppose that could be them?" He ran a hand absentmindedly through his flame-like mane, smirking as usual.

Gohan sensed for ki and then nodded. "Yep. Seems about right."

Goten clapped his hands. "Yay! It's me and Trunks first, right Mommy?"

Chi-Chi nodded. "Yes, Goten, but be sure to say 'Trunks and me.' That's correct grammar."

The potential for an educational lesson in proper English was lost on the little chibi, who was already bouncing across the room merrily, his costume swishing around him. "C'mon Trunks, let's do this thing!" He giggled happily and held up a hand for a fist-pump, which Trunks gladly supplied. The two of them grinned evilly, since their devilish romps normally recieved a harsh punishment. But tonight...tonight they were free.

Gohan and Vegeta immediately locked concentration on the two children, and sensed their movement earnestly.

...

Sharpener continued his vigil on the assortment of plant life before him, flexing his muscles to test them of their strength. He was going to have lots of fun tonight, he could feel it. He wiped away the sweat that was threatening to drip off his nose, and folded his arms in a very Vegeta-like manner. He leaned back against the wall, turning up his nose at an imaginary opponent. He was The Great And Mighty Sharpie. No. Scratch that. The Great _Unbeatable_ And Mighty Sharpie. He would win one for the team today. He was absolutely sure of a glorious victory by his hands.

Suddenly, he noticed a strange, shapeless form moving in between the trees. He nudged Videl. "Umm, Videl? Do you see that?"

Videl glanced over at the now still and silent garden, and shook her head. "It's probably nothing, Sharpener."

He turned back to his avid watching, straining his eyes for any sign of the mysterious moving figure. And then, he saw it again. Something was definitely there, peeking out from behind a leafy blueberry bush. He gestured for Videl to look again, and she hissed in annoyance.

"Sharpener, is this some kind of sick joke you're playing? There is _nothing there_."

He shook his head and pointed into the dark mass of foliage. "No, Videl, I really saw something! It was moving! I'm absolutely sure of it!"

She snorted in disbelief and turned back to guarding a different part of the garden. Sharpener frowned moodily and shot a furious glare at the offending blueberry bush. His eyes widened when he heard a soft _squeak, _which was soon followed by a second one. Frantically he glanced at Videl, only to find that she was pointedly ignoring him. _Fine, Videl! I won't warn you! You can just get eaten by a zombie! I don't care!_ He wrapped his arms even tighter across his chest and humphed angrily, trying to ignore the blantant, ice-cold fear he felt in the pit of his stomach.

...

Trunks and Goten had to control their giggles as they watched the three teens surveying the garden for any signs of movement. Sharpener sent an angry glare in the direction of the bush they were hiding behind, and Goten let out an involuntary squeak of laughter. Trunks allowed himself this privilege as well. Both of them scooted farther down to the ground, and Trunks winced as the bushes rattled slightly. He felt blisters beginning to blossom on his heels from the kid-leather boots, and wished he had remembered to wear socks. Lowing his voice down to a barely perceptible whisper, Trunks asked Goten, "You ready?"

"Ready as I'll ever be!" Goten hissed back cheerfully.

"Ok. On my count...one...two..."

...

Sharpener heard the sound of someone whispering, and blanched in fear. He decided he would warn Videl after all. It was the right thing to do. "Videl. You have to believe me! I saw the bushes shake and I heard whispering! I'm not going to tell you again! I know for a fact that _someone is in there_!"

He did not get to say another word.

For, out of the bushes came two boys, floating eerily in midair. Their golden hair flowed upwards in fluttering blond ripples, and their haunting teal irises glinted dangerously within their narrowed eyes. Twin dazzling auras encased their bodies, which were themselves clad in long, silken garments. One was dressed in a ghostly gray, and the other in frightening scarlet. Chains were wrapped around their ankles, and handcuffs cut cruelly into their wrists.

...

_I hope I put those handcuffs on tight enough,_ thought Vegeta smugly.

...

Erasa's mouth was open in a soundless scream as she stared, awestruck, at the levitating children. Both boys moaned piteously, their clothing seeming to dance along with them as they moved ever closer to the three petrified teenagers. Videl was terribly confused. _I thought there was only one man. Why are there now two boys?_ She was also disappointed, because now she couldn't ambush the pranksters without them noticing every move. So she decided to relent and move to Plan B.

"I know you aren't ghosts, so you can just give up your act!" Videl yelled angrily at the two little boys. "And your freaky costumes don't scare me!"

Trunks sauntered up to her through the air. Logically, he pointed out, "Yeah, but you just called our outfits 'freaky,' which means they are sort of scary. And they're not costumes! This is standard-issue attire for ghosts like us!"

Videl rolled her eyes. "Sure it is. Now tell me who you really are, and how you're able to float like that!"

Goten flew around her, giggling. "This isn't a trick, silly! All ghosts can do this!"

Trunks adjusted his costume pompously. "Ghosts deserve respect too! Just 'cause we're cute and tiny doesn't mean we aren't scary! Daddy is training me to be a super scary ghost like he is! He's _super duper_ scary!"

Videl lifted an eyebrow at this. "Your daddy? Trains you? How to frighten people? Heh! You guys can't convince me! I know that the two of you are fake. I also think you're in cohorts with that guy who was threatening to murder Bulma Briefs! That guy's your Daddy, right?"

"He's not my Daddy! My Daddy's not really a scary ghost," Goten piped up.

"But I thought all ghosts were scary," Videl replied, trying desperately to play along with the kiddos' joke. Maybe if she treated them kindly, they would give her the answers she wanted so that she could expose the golden-haired ghost-boy's "father" as the phsyco who wanted to kill the heiress of Capsule Corp. It would be a piece of cake.

"No, not all ghosts are. Some ghosts are friendly ones! But my Daddy's not. He scares _me_ sometimes!" Trunks answered Videl with a mischievous grin.

"Mm hmm. How much is your...Daddy...paying you to do this?" _Perhaps I can get them to admit it this way,_ thought Videl.

"My Daddy's dead. He's a ghost, remember? He doesn't have zeni anymore. He can't pay us! Ghosts don't have money! It's really sad, I know," Trunks responded.

...

Meanwhile, Sharpener was in total shock. He had seen all of this correspondence between Videl and what appeared to be two ghosts, and he currently didn't know what he believed. They sure _looked_ like ghosts...but they didn't act frightening at all! They claimed to be in training to scare people, so that would explain how they seemed almost _cute._ He took a step forward. "Listen, we don't believe you're real. Prove to us if you are or not!"

...

Goten heard this remark and flashed a look at Trunks. "That's a great idea! Actually, there's a really cool thing ghosts can do that un-dead people can't!" Out of the corner of his mouth, Goten whispered something to Trunks. Trunks nodded, a brilliant smile lighting up his face.

"Let's do it, Goten."

###

**Author's Notes...** Ah, a cliffie! What technique do the Devilish Duo have planned? And why aren't they acting scary like they're supposed to? *DBZK narrator* "Find out next on Haunted in West City!" Oh, and please review! Thanks! :)


	7. Strange Occurrences

**Haunted in West City - Chapter 7: Strange Occurrences**

**Author's Notes...** Time for the seventh episode of the Ghost Saga. Thanks to everyone for your reviews! I appreciate them so much! Sorry I took longer; I had company over the weekend and I was also overloaded with schoolwork and chores and such, as well as banned from Fanfiction or writing anything for a few days...long story. ^_^

**Disclaimer: **Honestly, I've posted this every single chapter. So I'm NOT saying it anymore. *Folds arms like Vegeta*

###

Time.:

_Goten heard this remark and flashed a look at Trunks. "That's a great idea! Actually, there's a really cool thing ghosts can do that un-dead people can't!" Out of the corner of his mouth, Goten whispered something to Trunks. Trunks nodded, a brilliant smile lighting up his face._

_"Let's do it, Goten."_

Time.:

Videl watched in fascination as the mysterious ghost-boys separated, flying several feet away from each other. Their childish faces took on a deadpan asset as they concentrated, sweat dribbling down their small foreheads and darkening their outfits. She had to stifle a laugh as the chibis executed a series of what appeared to be intricate and ridiculous dance moves, tapping their feet against the ground and progressing toward each other swiftly. They were reciting something as they gave their performance. Videl tuned in.

"FUUUUUUUU..."

The teen wondered how the two little boys could keep such straight faces while doing such embarrassing techniques. They appeared completely serious as they river-danced their way to each other.

"SIIIOOOOOON..."

_Fusion? Huh?_ Even with these thoughts, Videl could not help smirking. Most likely, the two chibis were just stalling for time until they could no longer prove that they were really from Otherworld. All she had to do was wait for them to give up their act. It would be any time now, she was sure.

She watched in semi-interest as the children connected index fingers and simultaneously yelled out, "HAAAAAAAA...!" A dazzling light erupted from them, engulfing the entire expanse of the garden in bright saffron hues. Videl's azure eyes widened as she witnessed the shocking procedure in front of her. She watched as the two forms, nearly blinded out by the awesome radiance encasing them, seemed to slide together, the clear lines marking their borders blurring and then disappearing altogether. As the painful circle of brightness gradually faded, a single silhouette became visible against the now intense darkness.

Teal eyes containing double the gravity as before blinked below thick blond eyebrows, and a plentiful mass of golden locks swished back and forth above the tall forehead and firmly set jaw of the mysterious being before her. The creature's lips parted, and out came a dizzying combination of both boy's impish voices. "My name is...uhh..."

Gotenks was in the middle of a war with himself. Should he give away his real name? In the future, complications could arise from that. So he deducted that he should create a fake name. But what? The Goten side of Gotenks was slightly beginning to drift toward the realm of edible objects which were greatly desired, and carrying the Trunks side along with him.

Distracting images of delectable doughnuts and succulent strawberries peppered his brain, and Gotenks wavered from thinking of what to title himself to what he wanted to eat.

Suddenly, Gotenks had the urge to say something. Anything. The overpowering seductive powers of food and the seriousness of the situation banged through his cranium until he was pressed into blurting out the first thing that came to his mind. And that thing was...

"Poptart! My name is...Poptart!" Ah, now it was settled. His fake name would be Poptart. Both sides of Gotenks' brain agreed heartily on this new and regal title for the fused form of the two deviously naughty warriors, and glared out at Videl haughtily.

But the aforementioned Videl was struggling not to burst out into a chorus of laughter.

Who wouldn't be, after hearing such a fearsome creature pronounce such a ridiculous name for itself?

Poptart took a thunderous step forward, grinning viciously with white fangs glinting in the moonlight. His chains had mysteriously vanished in the change, and now he stood out boldly in the night sky that utterly failed to blanket his glorious appearance. He flexed his newfound muscles appreciatively, lounging in midair as if he were in the middle of a rather boring vacation. Videl watched in utter shock and anger, folding her arms and glaring defiantly at the thing which floated before her.

He watched her gently, regarding her as a teacher would a rather slow student. Videl sensed this and scowled, hoping that her gaze would frighten the being into submission. After a solid minute of shooting her furious glare at the joined duo, her muscles complained loudly of soreness, and she finally relaxed them, while still keeping an icy eye riveted on the creature.

Poptart lowered himself down slowly, lightly letting his feet brush the grass.

"What do you think of me now, Videl?"

###

**Author's Notes...** *Sigh* Well that was short. Not my best. Had a bit of writer's block there, and I'm also in the middle of writing a sci-fi/action-adventure novel on top of my fanfictions, so it took quite long. Not to mention what I said before, about the friend visiting and an overload of schoolwork, chores, and more. Sorry. Well, please review this, and hopefully I can begin writing the 8th chapter soon. :)


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